So, here we are, 2 months before registration for the Boston marathon. How are things going, you ask? Well since you asked, I’ll tell you.
I am behind schedule.
The past few weeks, I haven’t been able to hit the targets we were
hoping to hit. This may be due to my
age, the accelerated pace of training, or the overall stupidity of
running. Whatever the reason, I’m a bit
behind.
My schedule has gotten really cramped as of late. Business is going well and I’ll be traveling
quite a bit the next few weeks. I have 4
weeks left in my MBA program, and that is getting busy. I’m running about 35 miles a week, and last
but not least, my wife delivered our baby boy Dylan! While I’m glad all of these things are going
on, they make for some long days and long nights.
Dylan Lee Rampton, 7 lbs, 4 oz, and abs of steel.
His first night's rest. A peaceful little man, he is.
I was thinking about quitting last week. Let’s be honest, the adrenaline of my goal
has completely worn off. It probably
fell off the bandwagon somewhere around mile 200 of training. It’s been humid and in the 90s for the past
month. It’s been a battle to get out the
door each day, especially with the frustration of falling behind in my goals.
I emailed Coach Eric and told him about my struggles and
state of mind. His response:
Heat -- oh YES it is affecting
you. As a bigger guy it is hitting you
much harder. In fact, you may be much
fitter than you think but the heat is holding you back. It happens to everyone in the summer but more
so to you since you are a bigger guy. It
won't ever go away per se, but its effects are limited as you get fitter. The heat could be adding 14-27 seconds per
mile onto your longer runs. Look at this
chart for some more info:
http://206.214.217.133/articles/hic.pdf
Boston qualifying: I would look
into charities. I am being honest. I would put your chances at qualifying right
now around 20%. I actually think you
have improved much more than I expected and will continue to if you are
committed. You were really asking for a
nearly impossible task to be achieved and now I am a bigger believer than when
you signed up; I just think it will take some time. I would recommend trying the charity and then
getting your number bumped up after qualifying by time in the later fall or
early winter. Truth be told, you have
impressed me with your gumption, willingness to attack this process, and raw
will to succeed. Pretty inspiring
actually!
20% chance? That
was a lot better than I was hoping for lol.
That’s like an old George Foreman with a puncher’s chance of winning the
heavyweight title. I’m bald, old, and over the hill like he is
so we do have quite a bit in common!
I’ll be honest, it was nice to add a little outside perspective,
and take some pressure off myself. I’m
still aiming for Boston, but in the end, I feel like I will be happy with the
outcome as long as I know I’ve given it my best effort.
And let’s be honest…I won’t go down, at least without a
fight.
More updates to come!
